Xia Qingtian fell silent for a moment after hearing Nie Qingkong's words, then asked, "Are you saying that after we left by boat, the stone guarded by Xiang Xueyuan lost its energy?"
"That's impossible!" Xia Qingyu also exclaimed in surprise. "I've seen the data. The energy of that source was enough to create a nuclear bomb with bare hands. How could it disappear all of a sudden?"
"It's true." Nie Qingkong had personally seen the darkened stone. "It's hard for me to explain, but the data at the time showed that it happened very suddenly. Although there were fluctuations before, this time it was as if it was suddenly drained dry. It was terrifying."
"There were fluctuations before? Can you explain in detail?" Xia Qingtian pressed Nie Qingkong.
"Mhm." Nie Qingkong responded and recounted the data fluctuations to Xia Qingtian and Xia Qingyu.
As Xia Qingtian listened, she roughly calculated the timeline and suddenly froze, remembering something.
Something's not right!
Why does it seem like the times of energy fluctuations of that stone always correspond to her own situation back then?
According to Nie Qingkong, the first significant energy increase and fluctuation should have occurred during the period she was unconscious after being tricked by the system into upgrading.
Every subsequent fluctuation also corresponded to that deceitful system.
And when they left by boat, wasn't that the time the system unbound itself from her and left?
Could it be that the energy was absorbed by the system?
Xia Qingtian suddenly recalled a time when the system acted as if it were drunk, burping contentedly. She had been curious about what the system consumed as food.
Could it be...
The more Xia Qingtian thought about it, the more she felt that this matter was inextricably linked to that deceitful system.
"That's not right," Nie Qingkong said, looking at Xia Qingtian's expression with some surprise. "Wasn't that the time you caused the damage? Why do you seem completely unaware?"
"I caused the damage?" Xia Qingtian pointed to herself and blinked. "I didn't. I just wanted to take Qingyu with me that time."
At that time, all of Xia Qingtian's items had time limits, and the trash system even disappeared. She had almost lost her life. She...
Wait a minute!
Xia Qingtian suddenly had an epiphany, her lips pursed, and she couldn't help but curse inwardly: This deceitful system, it dared to blame her even after leaving!
"It wasn't you?" Nie Qingkong blinked. Then he couldn't understand. "Father..."
After a pause, Nie Qingkong remembered that he had been abandoned and changed his words. "He said you came to help your mother finish what she hadn't completed."
"You mean my mother also wanted to destroy that thing?" Xia Qingtian blinked in surprise. "She never mentioned this to me."
Nie Qingkong then recounted to Xia Qingtian what he had heard from Xiang Xueyuan. "At that time, we all thought it was you..."
"So that's how it was..." Xia Qingtian had also found it strange at the time why her mother had been hospitalized immediately after a business trip.
There was such a thing involved.
"The reason we're coming to the Lu Miao Tang family's treasure location this time is also to find the celestial stone containing energy," Nie Qingkong replied. "The previous stone was obtained by him from the Lu family, so..."
"Lu family..." Lu Yaoyang, who had been listening nearby, moved his gaze. He had been observing Xia Qingtian's subtle expressions and had vaguely guessed something.
Now, hearing Nie Qingkong's words, and combined with the previous few lifetimes, Lu Yaoyang suddenly had a bold idea.
The system finding Xia Qingtian and his own ability to have infinite rebirth were not accidents.
They were destined by fate.
With this thought, Lu Yaoyang immediately grasped Xia Qingtian's hand.
Xia Qingtian looked at Lu Yaoyang, thinking he was acting this way because of the Lu family, so she returned the grip, interlocking their fingers.
Xia Qingtian smiled sweetly and said softly, "It's okay, everything will be fine."
Lu Yaoyang said nothing, merely hooked his lips and nodded.
Yes, he wouldn't let anything happen to Xia Qingtian.
After comforting Gu Yaoyang, Xia Qingtian turned to look at Nie Qingkong again. "But the stone is already destroyed. Isn't he coming here in vain?"
If Xiang Xueyuan, that madman, knew that there was no second stone, what would he do?
Would he completely collapse and drag the entire world down with him to die?
"Energy fluctuations have already been detected," Nie Qingkong said, looking at the narrow door in the stone wall that only one person could pass through. "It's over there."
The mad doctor had detected it before they even crossed the waterfall.
"Ah?" Xia Qingtian was taken aback. How could that be?
Was her deduction mistaken?
Was this matter not the system's fault?
Lu Yaoyang also frowned, seemingly surprised.
"Why don't we go over and take a look first?" Xia Qingyu knew that all the current speculation was futile. She wanted to know the truth more now.
Everyone nodded and continued forward together.
As they entered the narrow door, Miao Tong and Er Ya had a small conflict, both wanting to take the lead.
Er Ya was fearless and had a sharp personality.
Miao Tong was also eager to shed the humiliating titles of "skinny dog" and "noob dog."
As the two of them were in a stalemate, Di San, who had been unremarkable, spoke up. "Everyone follow behind me."
Hearing Di San's words, Miao Tong and Er Ya fell silent.
In this environment, the people of Jiumu Shou Di family indeed had more say.
After Di San took the lead, everyone else obediently lined up behind him. They intentionally placed the injured Xia Qingyu and Nie Qingkong in the middle, with Shi Guan Zhu at the very back to guard against any attacks from behind.
After entering the door, it was pitch black. However, the internal passage was narrow, and by holding hands, there was no risk of getting separated.
After passing through the long, narrow corridor, they entered a hall that could accommodate dozens of people. It was round and spacious. The torches on the walls were still burning, seemingly lit when Xiang Xueyuan and his group had passed through earlier.
And directly in front of them were three passages leading in different directions.
They all looked identical.
"Lu family, it's your turn to shine," Er Ya said, punching Lu Yaoyang's arm. "Go!"
"I wish I could," Lu Yaoyang spread his hands. He had never grown up in the Lu family since childhood, and no one in the Gu family understood these things. Even with his several rebirths, he had never dabbled in these mechanisms, so how could he possibly do it?
Hearing this, everyone else sighed. What could be done now?
Er Ya pouted, hands on her hips. While she could understand蛊毒 (gu poison), the methods of the Lu family were beyond the comprehension of both the Tang and Miao families.
"Hey, why aren't you calling him a skinny dog now?" Miao Tong nudged Er Ya with his elbow and asked, "Don't you call him a noob?"
"Just consider me biased," Er Ya said righteously. "My malice is only visible to the Miao family."
"You!" Miao Tong was choked. Good heavens, so he was only picking on him alone?
"Hee hee~"